Stylus for providing tilt angle and axial direction and control method thereof

• US 10,162,438 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Chin-Fu, Yeh, Shang-Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Tony
• Application Number:
  US15/451,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20170262081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 345170-179, 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

The present invention provides a stylus for providing a tilt angle and an axial direction of a stylus body, including: a first electrode at a tip of the stylus; a second electrode surrounding the first electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are not electrically coupled; and a control module connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the control module is configured to have the first electrode emitting a first-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode coupled to a direct current voltage during a first time period, the control module is further configured to have the first electrode emitting a second-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode floated during a second time period.

Claims

1. A stylus providing a tilt angle and an axial direction of a stylus body, comprising:

a first electrode at a tip of the stylus;

a second electrode surrounding the first electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are not electrically coupled;

at least one signal source selectively coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a control module connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the control module is configured to have the first electrode emitting a first-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode coupled to a direct current voltage during a first time period, the control module is further configured to have the first electrode emitting a second-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode floated during a second time period.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is the same as the second-time-period electrical signal.

3. The stylus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first-time-period electrical signal and the second-time-period electrical signal include signals having a plurality of frequencies, the pressure experienced by the first electrode is a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies.

4. The stylus of claim 3, wherein when the ratio is larger than a threshold, the first electrode is not under pressure.

5. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the shape of a portion of the first electrode being surrounded by the second electrode corresponds to the shape of the second electrode.

6. The stylus of claim 1, further comprising a detection circuit connected to the control module, wherein after the detection circuit detects a beacon signal, the control module then enters into the first time period and the second time period.

7. The stylus of claim 6, wherein the beacon signal is emitted by a touch sensitive electrode on a touch screen, the detection circuit detects the beacon signal via the first electrode.

8. A control method of a stylus providing a tilt angle and an axial direction of a stylus body, the stylus comprising a first electrode at a tip of the stylus, a second electrode surrounding the first electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are not electrically coupled, the control method comprising:

during a first time period, having the first electrode emitting a first-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode connecting to a direct current voltage; and

during a second time period, having the first electrode emitting a second-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode floated.

9. The control method of claim 8, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is the same as the second-time-period electrical signal.

10. The control method of claim 8, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal and/or the second-time-period electrical signal include signals having a plurality of frequencies, the pressure experienced by the first electrode is a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies.

11. The control method of claim 10, wherein when the ratio is larger than a threshold, the first electrode is not under pressure.

12. The control method of claim 8, wherein the shape of a portion of the first electrode being surrounded by the second electrode corresponds to the shape of the second electrode.

13. The control method of claim 8, wherein the stylus further includes a detection circuit, the control method further comprises:

after the detection circuit detects a beacon signal, having the stylus then entering into the first time period and the second time period.

14. The control method of claim 13, wherein the beacon signal is emitted by a touch sensitive electrode on a touch screen, the detection circuit detects the beacon signal via the first electrode.

15. A touch control apparatus detecting a tilt angle and an axial direction of a stylus, comprising:

a sensing circuit connected to a touch screen, wherein the touch screen includes a plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes and a plurality of second touch sensitive electrodes, the plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes and the plurality of second touch sensitive electrodes intersecting to form a plurality of sensing points; and

a processing module connected to the sensing circuit, the processing module instructing the sensing circuit to detect a first-time-period electrical signal emitted by a first electrode of the stylus during a first time period, and instructing the sensing circuit to detect a second-time-period electrical signal emitted by the first electrode and a second electrode of the stylus during a second time period, and determining the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on detection results of the first and the second time periods,

wherein the second electrode surrounds the first electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode are not electrically coupled.

16. The touch control apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a driving circuit connected to the plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes, wherein the processing module is connected to the driving circuit and is further configured to instruct the driving circuit to sequentially send a beacon signal to the plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes;

and after each first touch sensitive electrode emits the beacon signal, instruct the sensing circuit to perform the detection steps for the first time period and the second time period.

17. The touch control apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processing module is further configured for combining detection results of the first time period obtained after each of the first touch sensitive electrodes emits the beacon signal into a first image, combining detection results of the second time period obtained after each of the first touch sensitive electrodes emits the beacon signal into a second image, determining a first electrode projection area corresponding to the first electrode based on the first image, determining a second electrode projection area corresponding to the second electrode based on the second image, and determining the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on the first electrode projection area and the second electrode projection area.

18. The touch control apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is the same as the second-time-period electrical signal.

19. The touch control apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least a signal strength measuring circuit for measuring signal strengths of a plurality of frequencies included in the first-time-period electrical signal and/or the second-time-period electrical signal, the processing module further configured to calculate a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies to obtain the pressure experienced at a tip of the stylus.

20. The touch control apparatus of claim 19, wherein when the ratio is larger than a threshold, the processing module determines that the first electrode is not under pressure.

21. The touch control apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the sensing circuit, during the first time period, performs sensing using all of the first touch sensitive electrodes and all of the second touch sensitive electrodes to obtain a first-time-period one-dimensional (1D) sensing information of a first axis and a first-time-period 1D sensing information of a second axis, respectively;

the sensing circuit, during the second time period, performs sensing using all of the first touch sensitive electrodes and all of the second touch sensitive electrodes to obtain a second-time-period 1D sensing information of the first axis and a second-time-period 1D sensing information of the second axis, respectively;

the processing module calculates a first electrode projection area of the first electrode with respect to the first axis and the second axis based on the first-time-period 1D sensing information of the first axis and the first-time-period 1D sensing information of the second axis, respectively;

the processing module calculates a second electrode projection area of the first electrode and the second electrode with respect to the first axis and the second axis based on the second-time-period 1D sensing information of the first axis and the second-time-period 1D sensing information of the second axis, respectively; and

the processing module determines the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on the first electrode projection area and the second electrode projection area.

22. A control method detecting a tilt angle and an axial direction of a stylus, comprising:

instructing a sensing circuit to detect a first-time-period electrical signal emitted by a first electrode of the stylus via a touch screen during a first time period;

instructing the sensing circuit to detect a second-time-period electrical signal emitted by the first electrode and a second electrode of the stylus via the touch screen during a second time period; and

determining the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on the detection results of the first time period and the second time period,

wherein the second electrode surrounds the first electrode, and the first electrode and the second electrode are not electrically coupled.

23. The control method of claim 22, further comprising:

instructing a driving circuit to sequentially send a beacon signal to a plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes of the touch screen; and

after each first touch sensitive electrode emits the beacon signal, instructing the sensing circuit to perform the detection steps for the first time period and the second time period.

24. The control method of claim 23, further comprising:

combining detection results of the first time period obtained after each first touch sensitive electrode emits the beacon signal into a first image;

combining detection results of the second time period obtained after each first touch sensitive electrode emits the beacon signal into a second image;

determining a first electrode projection area corresponding to the first electrode based on the first image;

determining a second electrode projection area corresponding to the second electrode based on the second image; and

determining the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on the first electrode projection area and the second electrode projection area.

25. The control method of claim 23, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is the same as the second-time-period electrical signal.

26. The control method of claim 22, further comprising:

instructing a signal strength measuring circuit for measuring signal strengths of a plurality of frequencies included in the first-time-period electrical signal and/or the second-time-period electrical signal; and

calculating a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies to obtain the pressure experienced at a tip of the stylus.

27. The control method of claim 26, further comprising determining that the stylus is suspended in the air when the ratio is within a certain range.

28. The control method of claim 22, further comprising:

instructing the sensing circuit to, during the first time period, perform sensing using all of the first touch sensitive electrodes and all of the second touch sensitive electrodes to obtain a first-time-period one-dimensional (1D) sensing information of a first axis and a first-time-period 1D sensing information of a second axis, respectively;

instructing the sensing circuit to, during the second time period, performs sensing using all of the first touch sensitive electrodes and all of the second touch sensitive electrodes to obtain a second-time-period 1D sensing information of the first axis and a second-time-period 1D sensing information of the second axis, respectively;

calculating a first electrode projection area of the first electrode with respect to the first axis and the second axis based on the first-time-period 1D sensing information of the first axis and the first-time-period 1D sensing information of the second axis, respectively;

calculating a second electrode projection area of the first electrode and the second electrode with respect to the first axis and the second axis based on the second-time-period 1D sensing information of the first axis and the second-time-period 1D sensing information of the second axis, respectively; and

determining the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on the first electrode projection area and the second electrode projection area.

29. A touch sensitive system detecting a tilt angle and an axial direction of a stylus body, comprising:

a stylus including;

a first electrode at a tip of the stylus;

a second electrode surrounding the first electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are not electrically coupled;

at least one signal source selectively coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a control module configured to have the first electrode emitting a first-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode coupled to a direct current voltage during a first time period, and to have the first electrode emitting a second-time-period electrical signal and the second electrode floated during a second time period;

a touch screen including a plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes and a plurality of second touch sensitive electrodes, the plurality of first touch sensitive electrodes and the plurality of second touch sensitive electrodes intersecting to form a plurality of sensing points; and

a touch control apparatus including;

a sensing circuit connected to the touch screen; and

a processing module connected to the sensing circuit for instructing the sensing circuit to detect the first-time-period electrical signal emitted by the first electrode of the stylus during the first time period, and instructing the sensing circuit to detect the second-time-period electrical signal emitted by the first electrode and the second electrode of the stylus during the second time period, and determining the tilt angle and the axial direction of the stylus based on detection results of the first and second time periods.